Being Held Back by Your Fear of Writing? Here’s What to Do

You Are a Writer Already, Whether You Believe It or Not

Say it with me now before we start this blog post. I am a writer today. I am aspiring to be a better writer every day but I am already a writer.

I don’t know about you but as a child or even as an adult, I did not dream of becoming a writer. I had many dreams but writing – and not only that but what I do today which is writing for a living – never ever crossed my mind.

And yet writing has changed my life. It has transformed my profession, it has brought a ridiculous amount of joy to my work, and it has unleashed my creativity and my abundance. Writing has been nothing short of a miracle.

But in order to write, you have to get over your fear of writing. Fast.

What fear of writing, say you?
Let me explain.

First, learn to identify the beast. The fear of writing shows up in disguise because it is a scary pathetic thing, that’s why.

It hides behind lame excuses and it holds your writing gift hostage with lies and nonsense. It is slowly murdering your writing dreams and you are a partner in the crime if you let it.

It is making you forget that you are an empowered gifted soul to this world and being held back is not a hassle you want to deal with on your journey.

“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”
― Stephen King, On Writing

5 Most Popular Lame Excuses that Cripple Your Writing Dream

Now, let’s bust the 5 most popular lame excuses that cripple your writing dream:

Excuse #1: Nobody wants to read what I write.

How do you know that my dear? How if you haven’t written enough? Is it really true? Or is it just your negative thinking telling you of a grim future that has no basis?

You do not know until you do it and there are people in this world who will need to hear the message only in your exact words and with your unique writing voice. Don’t deprive them of the gift. They are waiting for you to emerge. Write for them.

Excuse #2: I am not a good writer.

So what? You are a writer. That’s where you start. That’s where ALL writers start. And now you get better.

Stephen King admits that there are bad writers. Lots of them. But heck, even bad writers are out there writing. A bad writer is better than no writer because a bad writer is trying, and that’s the spirit you want to embody. That and do everything to become a good writer.

Excuse #3: I don’t have time to write.

You have as much time as everybody else. But you also have the choice to decide what to do with your time. Obligations are not an excuse. Entertainment and wasting time is a choice. And adding writing to any lifestyle is possible.

How do I know? Because it’s been done before a thousand times by mere human beings. You are a human being and the only difference is that now, you have a lot more advantage with technology and tools and so much more than anyone who came before you. I mean, they used to type novels on a typewriter!!!! Imagine that.

Excuse #4: English isn’t my first language.

I love you but give me a break. English is my 3rd language and yes, I still struggle with it even 25 years later, but I would never let that excuse fly.

Don’t take or accept that excuse for a minute. If you want to write in English, write. If you struggle, learn the language better but write in it anyway. If you want to write in your own common tongue, then write that way. Drop this excuse fast, this is the lamest one of all.

Excuse #5: I don’t know what to write about.

Yes you do. Deep down, when you let go of feeling embarrassed or silly about what you want to write about, then you can get to it. I must share my all time favorite quote from Stephen King on this:

“Now comes the big question: What are you going to write about? And the equally big answer: Anything you damn well want. Anything at all …. as long as you tell the truth.”
Stephen King

Your truth, whatever that may be. Not someone else’s but always your own truth.

Ah those nasty ugly excuses! They have ruined many writing dreams! Are you letting them ruin yours? Because the unsung songs of your heart will leave a deep mark of regret. If you want to write, well then, you need to write, come hell or high water. You need to do it today and stop putting it off to tomorrow.

Don’t let these lame excuses hold you back. Catch them next time they are whispering in your ear. Stop what you are doing and set the record straight. You are a writer and you won’t be held back. Period.

3 Things Successful Writers Never Forget to Do

I won’t lie to you. Writing isn’t easy but it is not complicated either. It’s hard work but not complicated. All you have to do is to show up and write.

Inspiration helps. I have learned a lot from successful writers that I adore. My contemporary favorites are Stephen King, J.K. Rowling and George R.R. Martin. Today they are massively successful and good for them. Every ounce of it is well-deserved.

So what do they know that you and I can learn to do in our writing journey. Here are the 3 things these successful writers never forget to do:

1. Stephen King: On finding someone that believes in you no matter what.

Stephen King attributes all of his success to the love of his life, his wife, Tabby. “Tabby never voiced a single doubt, however. Her support was a constant, one of the few good things I could take as a given.”

And he goes on to tell us in On Writing (which if you have not read, you must drop everything instantly and get to it), “Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot of difference. They don’t have to make speeches. Just believing is usually enough.

2. J.K.Rowling: On getting super comfortable with failure. Or else living with the ultimate failure.

You may be afraid that nobody will read your writing or care about it and hence you will be wearing the badge of failure. Right?

Well, it would do well to start with J.K. Rowling’s words, and let me remind you that she was in a more desperate situation when writing Harry Potter than many of us will ever know.

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might has well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.”
J.K.Rowling

And so there’s the choice, either becoming a failure by default for holding your writing hostage in your heart lest it becomes a ‘failure’ in print, or putting it out there and giving it a chance to do what it may – it may rise or it may fall. But it can only RISE if it’s out there, not if it’s held hostage in your heart.

3. George R.R.Martin: On using writing as a way to escape into your ultimate gift, your imagination.

“The best fantasy is written in the language of dreams. It is alive as dreams are alive, more real than real … for a moment at least … that long magic moment before we wake.” George R. R. Martin

You do not need imagination just to write fiction. You can write a business book with imagination by applying the way you imagine the world to the way it is now and how it can be improved, altered for the better and for the future generations. You can write blog posts with imagination. You can write anything with imagination as long as you are speaking your truth and not just making up stuff to make up stuff.

The masses may  say writers are born. They may say writers are gifted with a special “gene”. Or writers cannot be taught or learned or created. That’s because the masses want an easy way out, confusing it with happiness and contentment.

You could believe them of course.
OR you could decide you want something more, stop listening to the masses, and start writing your truth today.

Because after all, you are a writer, and I bet already a good one, and a writer, well, writes even as life happens around you, write. Let the writing begin.

If you want even more confidence and encouragement to follow your dream of writing, hop on the list below and grab my 21 step confidence building course now: